Tender Mercy
by WISHFULTHINKINGS
Summary: Disillusioned by her current career and romantic life, Mercedes Jones decides to start on a new path. Can she rebuild her confidence and maybe find love along the way? AU
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I do not own Glee or any of their nonsense...just some hijacking of characters.**

**This is my first fanfic, so please be gentle or you can be rough, depends on the mood. And how many cocktails I've had….lol**

**TENDER MERCY**

Chapter 1: New Beginnings

"Fuck, fuck" Mercedes hissed while bringing her index finger to her mouth to ease the pain. "_Stupid_" she thought to herself. What the hell was she doing? She looked around at the nearly empty stables and at the door hinge she nearly lost an appendage to, _"I can't do this_" she thought looking at her uninjured hand holding a Phillips head screwdriver. Mercedes was trying to fix the hinge on a broken stall door, when she leaned against it and gotten her finger caught.

"What are you doing?" she said out loud to herself, " This is what you are gonna hire a staff for", she mused. Actually that's one of the reasons she was in the stables, waiting on the new ranch manager that was hired by her assistant. He was local and came with great references. He was going to meet with her to go over preliminaries and soon start on hiring the rest of the ranch hands. They were to get this place up and operating in a few months' time. Which is why fixing of stall doors did not need to fall to her. Logically she knew this, but being who she was she couldn't just sit around and have things done for her all the time. You think that she would have gotten used to it after all the years being in L.A. With a staff of over thirty people under her and managers and agents, Mercedes never fully adjusted to that lifestyle. That's the main reason why she is here, in Deer Lodge, Tennessee.

"You couldn't have picked a place with a sexier name, huh?" The diva chuckled to herself.

Although the name wasn't sexy the place was beautiful, and she fell in love with it the minute she stepped foot on the land. Mercedes was the proud owner of 327 acres. The land bordered a National wildlife preserve so most of the land she wasn't allowed to alter, it had to remain in its natural state. This was fine by all means because that meant nature trails, for hiking, biking, four wheelers or horseback riding. There were also streams for kayaking, a waterfall and a pond with the biggest weeping willow tree Mercedes ever saw residing beside it. She had her own wilderness retreat, with rock climbing to boot. Even though most of these things she had yet to have the pleasure to partake. She was happy and content with her choice, but not everyone in her life shared her outlook.

_"Why on earth do you want to live on a farm, baby?" her mother asked for what seemed like the thousandth time since she informed of her purchase._

_"Again mom it's not a farm, it's a ranch" Mercedes said while rolling her eyes, as she talked to her mother over the phone._

_"Well it has pigs, goats, chickens__,__ cows, horses and all their shit that comes with them, so I say it's a farm" Jackie Jones scoffed_

_Her youngest could be so pigheaded, now she decided to take it to another level and actually live with pigs. "Where did I go wrong?" she huffed. __"You__ went from an 8 bedroom 10 1/2 bath 6 car garage, pool, and Jacuzzi and tennis courts in Beverly Hills. Gave that all up to be a pig farmer in Moose Neck, Oregon"_

_Mercedes palmed her face in her hand totally exhausted; she still owned her house in California. Which she was going to rent out, but now she was also a ranch owner. __"Mom__ it's a ranch, a ranch on which I intend on breeding horses. Yes, it will eventually have all those animals, but I repeat I am and never will be a pig farmer and I live in Deer Lodge, Tennessee. Not Moose Neck, Oregon or Buffalo Chin, Nebraska or Elk Balls, Mississippi. Or any other random ass names you decide to come up with."_

_"But Baby, I..." her mother began_

_"But, nothing mom" Mercedes interrupted. "Please respect my choices. I'm not a child and this wasn't done in haste." Her shoulders slumped and she pinched the bridge of her nose trying to ward off a headache._

_"It just seems to me that you're runnin..." Jackie Jones tried to get out before her daughter interrupted again._

_"MOM! I swear if you say to me that I'm running away from my problems again..."_

_"But..."_

_"But__,__ nothing mom. I'm not running settling or giving up. I'm starting a new chapter and I'm excited about it. Why can't you be happy for me? No it's not a McMansion in Beverly Hills or a double platinum album with two Grammy's as confirmation. I did that already and now I'm doing this." Mercedes squeezed her eyes tight realizing that her attempts to ward off a migraine were futile. That after this round with her mother she would be swallowing a couple of Motrin and resting with a cold compress to her temple._

_Hearing the stress and tension in her child's voice softened Mercedes' mom attitude a bit. She was proud of her daughter, immensely proud. She just couldn't understand. One minute she was on a US tour promoting her third album the next she shouting into the phone "Mom, guess what? I bought a pig farm." ok ranch, but still._

_"Baby, if you are happy then I'm happy. That's all a mother can really hope for__..."__ Jackie Jones smiled into the phone. _

_"Thanks mom" Mercedes sighed_

_"But, don't expect me to come and visit and have to kill my own dinner by choking a chicken or shovel shit from the walk, or use an outhouse or..."_

_"What the fuck?" Mercedes groaned to herself. __"__Where does she think I live and why does she think it's the 1800's or something? "This woman" she yelled internally, totally fed up, this has to stop._

_"Mom, my phone is dying it's gonna cut off any min..." With that Mercedes hit the end button on her cell disconnecting herself from another. "I hope you don't try and turn me hillbilly" rant from her mother._

Mercedes sighed looking at the still broken hinge on the stall door. "Handywoman I am not" she shrugged, oh well. Just then Mercedes heard the neighing of her horse. It was the only horse in the stable and her first investment into her new business. She set the screwdriver down on a stool and went over two stalls.

There stood a 2 year old chestnut mare with a jet black mane and tail. She stood majestic and strong. Mercedes beamed at her.

"Hey, girl? How ya doing?" Mercedes cooed as she open the stall door stepping inside. Picking up a brush she began grooming the mare. The horse snorted.

"I know girl, it's lonely right now. But, I promise it won't be for long." she said as she continued brushing.

Mercedes had mucked out the stall earlier and fed and watered her mare. She laughed to herself at the sight she made. If some of her old friends from L.A. could see her now, shit if some of them from her hometown in Lima, Ohio could see her. Diva, extraordinaire in jeans, rubber boots and flannel shirt grooming a horse. They would probably get on board with her mother and deem her insane. Mercedes had only camped outdoors once in her life when she was a girl scout. And after being accosted by nature she swore never again. She was 10 at the time. That was then and this now.

"We have to figure out a name for you girl." Mercedes said as she continued stroking the gorgeous mane. The previous breeders she had purchased her from never bothered to name any of their horses. They were all numbered thorough breeds with pristine pedigrees and lengthy documentation. She found it so impersonal; they were well taken care of but not well loved.

"What do you think your name should be, huh?" she paused mid stroke thinking. "How about Ella or Aretha or ooooh Whitney." Mercedes smiled while rambling off names of some of her all-time favorite divas. The mare whinnied and snorted "Is that a no, girl?" she laughed "I guess we have to think some more then." She resumed her brushing going to the other side while humming a tune. Before she knew it the RnB/Pop diva was humming a country tune. She started humming "Amazed" by Lonestar. She guessed it fit because she was truly amazed and captivated by this animal's beauty. When Mercedes got to a certain part in the chorus, she was startled when she heard a voice join in with her humming. It was deep, rich, melodic and definitely male.

"_Every little thing that you do, baby I'm amazed by you." _He sang

Mercedes came around the horse to the opening of the stall. There stood a man around 6 feet wearing cowboy boots, black jeans. White buttoned down shirt and black cowboy hat. He looked like he just stepped down from a billboard." _Advertising what?_" she thought. How to be a sexy ass cowboy? Oh boy it's been a long time.

"That's one of my favorite songs," he said smiling with a lopsided grin.

Mercedes just stood there in awe watching him as his jade green eyes twinkled with his statement.

"Oh, how rude of me "he said chastising himself. "That's not the way I was raised." Taking off his hat and revealing a short crop of brown hair with blonde highlights. He held the hat in his left hand and extended his right to Mercedes.

"Hi ma'am, I'm Sam, Sam Evans your new ranch manager and you must Ms. Jones?" he said with the widest smile outstretched on his face.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Glee or any or their nonsense….. Just hijacking, some of its characters.**

**Thank you so much for the reviews, favorites, alerts etc… I am not a writer and I do not aspire to be one. Actually I have never written anything longer than a term paper….lol, so this is very exciting for me and very hard( I bow down to all who write) I'm going to try my best with this story and feel free to let me know if it's becoming uninteresting or moving along too slowly. I'm trying to take copious (yay big word) notes and map out chapters…. Anyway let me know what you think. Thanks again…**

**Chapter 2: The Horse Whisperer**

"Ma'am?" Sam said. While his brow furrowed and his smiled started to waiver some. He still kept his hand outstretched waiting for Mercedes to shake it.

Mercedes just stood there lost in those eyes mouth slightly ajar trying to figure how to make her brain and mouth form speech again. She had never reacted so immediately to the opposite sex like this. But, it was something about this man, the way he stood those eyes and those cherry red full lips. He made her thoughts spin and her heart beat quicken. And things harden and wet that hadn't in a very long time.

"Ma'am?" Sam said a third time a little louder and face laced with concern.

At this Mercedes seemed to snap back into reality and acknowledge the man standing in front of her. Plastering a smile to her face and setting her brush down, she walked to the stall's entry taking Sam's hand in her own. The second their hands met a jolt shot through Mercedes that almost caused her to snatch her hand away. It was almost like being shocked by someone after they've built up static electricity by running around in stocking feet on a rug. She noticed how big his hands were, how long his fingers were and how they engulfed her hand making it seem childlike in comparison.

"Oh, Yes Mr. Evans, I've been expecting you. " Mercedes finally spoke.

Well not you per see. This was not the man she had pictured when her assistant Tina told her of his credentials. She pictured someone in his forties a bit of a belly and receding hairline. Or that old guy in that western. What was the name of that western? O hell any one of them where there was an old crotchety guy that drank too much and cursed like a sailor, but knew his work. Sam Evans was the polar opposite of what she had pictured. She hadn't made up her mind yet on whether Tina should be cursed or praised for her hire.

"Please call me Sam, Ms. Jones" The green eyed cowboy beamed.

"Well then Sam, you should call me Mercedes." Mercedes said while reluctantly letting go of Sam's hand. Oh God, How long was she shaking it? She couldn't recall, but she did notice emptiness at its removal.

"Ma'…." Mercedes arched an eyebrow in his direction and his cheeks pinked up a bit.

"I mean Mercedes, it will be a pleasure." She smiled

Sam looked beyond Mercedes to her mare. He started into the stall towards her, while returning his hat to his head. Mercedes mused to herself. "_Damn he looks good in or out of the hat; I wonder what he would look like wearing only the hat?" _ She smirked eyeing him up and down. Stop girl, your ass is going be hit with a fucking sexual harassment suit, before he even officially starts working. Sam spoke while reaching up stroking the mare's mane.

"Well who do we have here? Who's this pretty little filly, huh?"

"This here is uh…" Mercedes paused while thinking. "Her name is…."

"Well, actually we were in the middle of naming her when you arrived. Weren't we girl?" Mercedes took out a piece of carrot from a bucket, holding it with her palm outstretched so her horse could eat it.

"Did you come up with anything good?" Sam asked

"I came up with some great ones, but I think she tends to disagree." The diva chuckled.

Sam smiled in her direction, and asked. "May I ask what you came up with?"

Mercedes began to tell him the choices she spouted out earlier, while feeding another carrot to her mare. Sam listened intently and then added.

"While all those are great and come from strong iconic women, I don't think any of those names fit her. At least that's what she is telling me..." he winked at Mercedes. She narrowed her eyes with a grin tugging at the corners of her mouth. Was he for real did he just say the horse was telling him things? Ok, he may be sexy as hell, but crazy trumps sexy any day of the week and his ass would have to be out. He looked at her with a mischievous grin on his face.

"What, you don't believe me?" he said

She side eyed him not knowing how to respond. The grin grew wider on his face.

"I'm not crazy if that's what you're thinking." Oh hell yeah she most definitely was.

"Not that she is Mr. Ed or anything like that." Mercedes smiled remembering watching old shows late at night on cable when she was younger.

"It's just that all animals have a certain aura or being about them, that if you paid close attention you can tune into it…" Sam offered. "I love animals been around them my whole life and my baby brother is a large animal vet out of Memphis."

"Ok, I'll bite Mr. Sam "Horse Whisperer" Evans." Mercedes air quoted the name. Sam chuckled, "What has she said to you?"

"First off I can tell you she is very happy here, she loves her new home and your amazing singing voice." Sam said slyly glancing at his new boss. Mercedes cheeks warmed up as she grinned at his last statement.

"Oh she did huh?"

"Yeah, she has excellent taste." Was He flirting? No. Mercedes was in full on grinning mode. Not only was this man talented, handsome and sexy as hell. He was also charming, and if she wasn't careful she would find herself charmed right out of her very expensive La Perla panties.

"I don't doubt that, she seems to like you." Mercedes observed as her mare nuzzled close to Sam while he petted her mane. He gave her a shy lopsided grin.

"I can honestly say the feeling is mutual, sweetheart." He drawled out.

"So?"

"Yes?"

"Her name Sam, has she told you her name?" Mercedes bounced on the balls of her feet like an excited five year old. And then caught herself musing at the silliness of her actions. Was she really buying into all of this?

"Oh, yup she sure did Mercedes." Sam said

"And?"

"And, what?"

Mercedes rolled her eyes and gave an exasperated sigh. Looking at Sam's amused demeanor. '_He is so enjoying watching me suffer.' _She thought.

"What's her name?"

"Oh. One moment please." He held up a finger to her while he tilted his head closer to the mare. "Yes, mmmhhh, ok. I got it." Sam carried on as if the horse was intently speaking. Mercedes thought again the crazy is out weighing sexy. But, she still found it fucking adorable as Sam finished up his equine conversation.

"Well?"

"She has decided to allow me to let you know of her name. " Sam offered. Mercedes smiled and thought, hear it comes some silly shit. Some crazy ass name like, they name race horses. Like' Dollar Dollar Bill' or' BreadnButta'. Although some of the names were creative, she wanted more for her horse. She wanted something to reflect her beauty, when Sam spoke up and told Mercedes the name she was taken aback.

"Lyric" he said stroking her mane and smiling at Mercedes. Again the diva was left speechless by this man.

**AN: I don't know, writing is hard. **


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